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Chapters (42)
  1. Cover Blurb
  2. Contents
  3. Chapter One
  4. Chapter Two
  5. Chapter Three
  6. Chapter Four
  7. Chapter Five
  8. Chapter Six
  9. Chapter Seven
  10. Chapter Eight
  11. Chapter Nine
  12. Chapter Ten
  13. Chapter Eleven
  14. Chapter Twelve
  15. Chapter Thirteen
  16. Chapter Fourteen
  17. Chapter Fifteen
  18. Chapter Sixteen
  19. Chapter Seventeen
  20. Chapter Eighteen
  21. Chapter Nineteen
  22. Chapter Twenty
  23. Chapter Twenty-One
  24. Chapter Twenty-Two
  25. Chapter Twenty-Three
  26. Chapter Twenty-Four
  27. Chapter Twenty-Five
  28. Chapter Twenty-Six
  29. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  30. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  31. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  32. Chapter Thirty
  33. Chapter Thirty-One
  34. Chapter Thirty-Two
  35. Chapter Thirty-Three
  36. Chapter Thirty-Four
  37. Chapter Thirty-Five
  38. Chapter Thirty-Six
  39. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  40. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  41. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  42. Chapter Forty

“I think he saw The Horniness of Khan once too many times,” Rose said.  “I told him he couldn't afford my rates.”

Kurt rolled his eyes.  That movie had been giving starfighter pilots giggling fits for years, despite the basement production values.  Clearly, no one cared about the lack of special effects if the pilots were all attractive women, particularly women who went through everything from group sex to bondage and spanking.  He briefly considered demanding the reporter’s name, then decided it was pointless if Rose didn’t want to make an official complaint.

“Glad to hear it,” he said, instead.  “I would prefer not to watch our pilots die in exercises in front of a group of lusty reporters.”

“Understood,” Rose said.

Kurt sighed.  He understood her need to prove herself, but it was a major headache when they were on their way to the war.  Maybe, now she'd done it, she could ease off.

“They may start asking for interviews,” he added.  The XO had issued additional orders concerning the reporters.  “When they do, I expect you to refuse unless you have prior permission.”

“He did ask me some questions,” Rose admitted.  Her face crinkled up into a droll smile that made her look pretty after all.  “Most of them were really fucking stupid.”

“Why,” Kurt asked, “am I not surprised?”

He glanced at his monitor, then smiled at her.  “Go get some sleep,” he ordered.  The timer showed seven minutes until their first jump away from Earth.  “Tomorrow, we will be starting more intensive simulations.  And I will expect your pilots to be on the ball.”

Rose left, grinning.  Kurt watched her go, then turned back to his paperwork.  The bureaucrats, it seemed, didn't realise there was a war on.  Instead of making time for further exercises, they insisted he submit updated copies of his forms prior to departure.  At least they weren't nagging him for another will, thankfully.  He disliked the thought of writing out – again – what he wanted to happen to his estate if he died.  Molly would acquire most of it, while Penny and Percy would both get the remainder.  There was no one else he wanted to mention in his will.

He hoped, desperately, that Molly would send him a message.  But, by the time they jumped out of the Sol System, no message had come.

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen